How to Customize Your Kicks

Even if you paid $600 for a pair of Nike Espo Dunks, chances are another New York sneakerhead has them, too. Both Nike and Vans let you design your own sneakers (at nikeid.com and vans.com), but for a more personal touch, head to Brooklyn’s Fulton Mall, where Sneaker Spot (519 Fulton St., near Oratory Pl.; 718-852-9230) and Fulton Plaza (398 Fulton St., near Pearl St.) transform brand-new, plain-vanilla shoes into one-of-a-kind kicks (from $45, not including shoes). They’ll paint or airbrush your chosen design, and substitute fabrics like Gucci, Burberry, or Coogi. On the high end, artisans like Hue at Kustom Kix (htiggastyle@aol.com) cater to hip-hop stars from $250 a pair, but you get careful craftsmanship, multiple paint layers, and sneakers to make Jadakiss jealous.